Leisure World is an age-restricted community located between East Broadway Road and East Southern Avenue, just west of South Power Road. It was established in 1972 and built its final home in 1994. It now has over 2600 homes located in the community.

It is primarily open to residents 55 years of age and older. However, it will allow homeowners who are as young as 45 to live there, so long as 80 percent of its homeowners are in the 55 and older demographic.

The homes here range in style and size, from single-family homes to condominiums and townhouses. The smallest of homes start out at 630 square feet, with the largest of homes in Leisure World spanning up to 3400 square feet.

There are more than 40 different home plans from which buyers can choose. Some of the floor plans are basic and feature one or two bedrooms. However, other floor plans are more elaborate and have vaulted ceilings, gourmet kitchens and up to four or five bedrooms.

The average home price in Leisure World is around $228,000. Home values have risen by eight percent in the last year and are expected to continue to climb as more people move to the Mesa area.

Leisure World’s motto is “Design Your Own Lifestyle” and encourages residents to do so by offering a wide scope of amenities and neighborhood features. These include:

• Two 18-hole golf courses
• A state-of-the-art fitness center
• A community clubhouse
• Activity studios for aerobics ceramics, sewing, woodworking and other hobbies
• A billiard hall
• Three outdoor swimming pools
• Courts for pickleball, basketball and tennis
• Horseshoe pits

There is also parking for RVs, numerous walking and biking trails, and three ballrooms that can be reserved for events like weddings. Leisure World also has is own restaurant, called the 19th Hole Cafe.

Despite being built for retirees, Leisure World encourages an active lifestyle. Newcomers here will see residents walking their dogs, landscaping their properties, getting together with neighbors to play cards and enjoying many other activities.